I won't get married easily

“Tonight, Han Han’s in-laws are coming over to propose. You stay in your room, don’t wander around, and don’t go bumping into any big shots, got it?” Han Lingli glared at her daughter, her eyes full of disdain. Si Tong lowered her gaze, her expression blank. “Got it, Mom.” Han Lingli felt a surge of frustration in her chest. If word got out that she had a daughter fresh out of jail, people would laugh her to death. But then she thought about her stepdaughter, whom she’d raised herself, about to marry into the richest family in town, the Yu family. That made her feel a lot better. “Dinner will be brought to your room. Don’t go wandering around, you hear me?” Seeing Si Tong nod obediently, Han Lingli finally left, reassured. After she was gone, Si Tong shut the door, stood there for a moment, then started looking around the room. It was a servant’s dorm at the Qin house—small, but it had all the basics: appliances, furniture, even a private bathroom. Si Tong never had a dad growing up. When she was five, her mom, Han Lingli, remarried a wealthy businessman from Haicheng, Qin Anxu, and started living the good life. Si Tong, though, grew up tough with her grandma. The dorm building was behind the main house. Through the window, she could see the dazzling, golden villa glowing in the distance. Tonight was the night the Qin family’s eldest daughter’s in-laws were coming to propose. The whole Qin household was buzzing, and judging by Han Lingli’s cautious attitude, it wasn’t hard to guess these guests were some serious VIPs. By evening, Si Tong was sitting at the desk, flipping through an old, yellowed high school English notebook. Even with the windows shut, she could hear elegant piano music drifting over from the main house. It clashed hard with the growling of her empty stomach. Han Lingli must’ve been too busy to remember—nobody had brought her any food. She hadn’t eaten a bite since morning. “Little Star, catch!” Out of nowhere, kids’ laughter and excited barking broke the silence outside. Under the dim yellow light, Si Tong spotted a few kids in the garden behind the main house, teasing a big German Shepherd with a chicken drumstick. Maybe it’d eaten too much already, because by the end, the dog wouldn’t even grab it. The drumstick fell to the ground, and the dog sniffed it before wandering off, uninterested. The kids got bored, tossed the rest of the drumstick aside, and ran off with the dog to play somewhere else. Si Tong pressed her lips together, staring down at it for a bit. Then she quietly opened the door and slipped downstairs. The drumstick barely had any flavor—no salt, probably made special for the dog since pets can’t have salty stuff. Sometimes, she thought blankly, people don’t even live as good as dogs. Her face stayed expressionless. Suddenly, a dark shape bolted out of the bushes. That same German Shepherd charged straight at her. Si Tong’s heart skipped a beat. Just as it was about to pounce— “Back off.” A low, calm voice cut through the air. It wasn’t harsh, but it stopped the hyped-up dog dead in its tracks. Si Tong’s heart jumped again. She hadn’t realized anyone was there. Following the voice, she looked over— A tall, imposing figure stepped out from behind the bushes. As he moved from the shadows into the light, the man’s features came into focus. He was dressed in a black shirt and slacks, his shirt collar pinned with a sleek silver clip—sharp, put-together, exuding this quiet, steady masculinity. His gaze was calm, almost flat, but there was something about that stillness that made you feel like you wouldn’t dare act up around him. “Scared you?” He stopped in front of Si Tong, his voice low and smooth, magnetic. He leaned down a bit, holding out a hand. “Come on, get up.” That’s when Si Tong realized she’d been spooked enough to fall flat on her butt. She glanced at the man’s hand—big, strong, with clean, defined knuckles. She hesitated, then ignored it, pushing herself up off the ground on her own. The guy didn’t seem bothered that she brushed off his help. He just pulled his hand back casually and looked at the little mess in front of him. She was young—delicate brows, bright eyes, pale skin, red lips. Skinny as hell, with a waist so tiny it looked like it’d snap if you grabbed it. But even being that thin, she had this youthful fullness to her face, and the curves where it counted were plenty noticeable. “You the Qin family’s new maid?” His voice was deep, laid-back, almost lazy against the night air. “Head that way, take a left, and keep going till you hit the staff canteen.” He paused, then added, “Don’t eat that off the ground. It’s filthy.” From the way he talked, he didn’t sound like a Qin. Probably one of those “important guests” her mom had warned her not to piss off. Not wanting to get on Han Lingli’s bad side, Si Tong didn’t say a word. She turned and walked off. His gaze lingered on her—not heavy, but it felt like a ton of bricks anyway, making her back stiffen. She picked up the pace. Yu Hanshen stayed where he was, watching the girl practically run away. He smirked faintly. Rare for him to play the good guy, and she didn’t even give him the time of day. … Back in the Qin family’s guest lounge, Yu Hanshen strolled in with the German Shepherd trotting obediently at his heels. Han Lingli plastered on a big, eager smile. “Mr. Yu, perfect timing! We were just talking about where to hold the wedding. Han Han’s set on New Zealand, Zhiheng wants France. What do you think—who should we listen to?” Normally, Zhiheng’s parents would’ve been the ones here for the proposal, but they got tied up last minute and asked Yu Hanshen to step in. As Zhiheng’s uncle and the guy running the Yu family, Yu Hanshen showing up was a bigger deal than the parents anyway—made the Qins look good. The guest lounge had a massive five-meter round table packed with people, all hoping to get a word in with Yu Hanshen tonight. He gave a half-smile at Han Lingli’s question, keeping it cool and distant. “Let the kids figure it out. I’m too old to meddle in that stuff.” Han Lingli caught the chill in his tone and laughed awkwardly, feeling the mocking stares from the others at the table. She clenched her jaw. By 9:30, Yu Hanshen and Yu Zhiheng left the Qin house. In the Maybach, Zhiheng’s face was stormy, totally zoned out—not a hint of the excitement you’d expect from a guy who just got engaged. Yu Hanshen glanced at him faintly. “You’ve been moping all night. What’s up? Something on your mind?” Zhiheng met his uncle’s stern look, hesitated, then muttered, “I… kinda regret it. Can we—” “Nope.” Yu Hanshen cut him off, voice firm, switching into full-on uncle mode. “Calling off an engagement right after you seal the deal? What, you think marriage is a game?” Zhiheng could tell his uncle wasn’t happy. He knew he was being a little ridiculous and shut up. After a beat, he grumbled, “But I can’t get her out of my head…” Yu Hanshen knew exactly who “her” was—Zhiheng’s ex from four years ago. “A woman who’s been to prison? And you’re still hung up on her?” Yu Hanshen lit a cigarette, puffing out smoke lazily, his eyes narrowing. There was a hint of exasperation in his tone as he flicked ash out the window, voice cool and almost ruthless. “Her? She’s never stepping foot in the Yu family. Give it up.” Forget Zhiheng’s parents—even he wouldn’t let some ex-con drag his nephew’s name through the mud. The next day, Si Tong woke up to knocking. A Qin family servant told her to head to the main house. When she got there, Han Lingli was in the living room with a middle-aged guy and a teenage girl, maybe sixteen or seventeen. “This is your Uncle Qin,” Han Lingli said, barely hiding her irritation. She’d planned to ship Si Tong off to a boarding school first thing that morning—out of sight, out of mind. But somehow, Qin Anxu found out she’d brought her daughter to Haicheng to repeat school. The girl was Qin Siyu, Qin Anxu’s kid with his ex-wife. Qin Anxu sized Si Tong up. She was in her early twenties, wearing a faded white T-shirt and worn-out jeans. Pale skin, tall and slim—too slim, like she hadn’t been eating right. Her short hair was tied back messily, but her face was striking—delicate brows, sharp features, a real looker. Just way too skinny, though her figure still had curves where it mattered. His eyes glinted behind his glasses for a second before he smiled. “Since you’re here, you’re part of the Qin family now. Treat this place like home.” Si Tong just gave a quiet “mm,” not buying it. “Which high school did you pick for Si Tong?” Qin Anxu asked. “Number Ten,” Han Lingli replied. “Number Ten?” Qin Anxu frowned. “That place sucks. The teaching’s garbage. She’s been out of school for four years—Number Ten won’t get her into college. Send her to Siyu’s school, Huashuo High.” “With her situation, Number Ten’s already doing her a favor by taking her. Huashuo? No chance.” Huashuo High was the best in Haicheng—only took kids with top grades. Even rich folks couldn’t buy their way in. “Besides, her class and dorm are already set. Don’t worry about it.” Han Lingli didn’t want Qin Anxu paying too much attention to Si Tong. “Don’t you have a meeting this morning? Go on, don’t keep the shareholders waiting.” Qin Anxu dropped it. Han Lingli took Qin Siyu off first, then dumped Si Tong at Number Ten’s gate, handed her to a teacher, and bolted. The teacher helped Si Tong with enrollment, showed her the classroom and dorm, then took her to the cafeteria to get a meal card. The card cost a hundred bucks. Si Tong stood there awkwardly. She didn’t have a dime on her—Han Lingli hadn’t given her any cash. The teacher noticed her embarrassment and covered the hundred for her. “Thanks, Ms. Song. I’ll pay you back,” Si Tong said softly, clutching the card. Her voice was gentle, easy on the ears. “No rush,” the teacher said with a smile. … That hundred bucks got Si Tong through her first week. On the weekend, she picked up a part-time gig at a milk tea shop near school. Around 5 p.m., Han Lingli called. “Come over for dinner tonight,” she said, not even giving Si Tong a chance to say no. “Wait at the school gate—the driver’s on his way.” The line went dead. Si Tong stood there for a second, then went to ask the shop manager for time off. At the gate, she didn’t wait long. A black Benz pulled up, the door swung open, and Qin Siyu was inside. So was a teenage boy, maybe seventeen or eighteen. He lit up when he saw Si Tong. “Siyu, this your stepmom’s kid? She’s hot.” “Hey, I’m Han Zhen. What’s your name?” Si Tong gave him a quick, blank look, didn’t answer, and sat down, staring out the window. Han Zhen didn’t mind the cold shoulder. He grinned at Qin Siyu. “Your stepmom’s daughter’s got that icy vibe—total ice queen.” Qin Siyu bit her lip and shot him a glare. The Qins and Hans were old family friends. Qin Siyu and Han Zhen often hung out on weekends. The driver dropped Han Zhen off at his place first. Tonight, Qin Anxu was home for dinner and had told Han Lingli to bring Si Tong back. After eating, Si Tong was itching to get back to her job and told Han Lingli she wanted to head out. Han Lingli didn’t want her around anyway and told the driver to take her. “I’m heading out to grab some stuff. I’ll go with her,” Qin Siyu piped up suddenly. Han Lingli always spoiled her kids, so she let it slide. Fifteen minutes later— “Stop the car!” Qin Siyu snapped. The Benz was cruising on an overpass. The driver hesitated. “Miss, I can’t stop here.” “I said stop, so stop! Quit yapping!” The driver had no choice and pulled over. “Get out,” Qin Siyu said, glaring at Si Tong. Flirting with Han Zhen right in front of her? Who did she think she was? “My dad just feels sorry for you and tossed you some scraps. You really think you’re some Qin family princess? Get lost!” Si Tong had sensed something was off when Qin Siyu insisted on tagging along. Now it made sense. She didn’t react much, just grabbed her stuff and opened the door. One foot was barely out when a hard shove hit her back. Caught off guard, Si Tong tumbled forward. A second later, tires screeched. “Holy crap!” In the Maybach behind them, He Heng jolted. Good thing he’d noticed the Benz parked illegally and slowed down early, or they’d have smashed right into it. In the back seat, Yu Hanshen opened his eyes—he’d been resting them—his gaze deep and steady. “Some chick just fell out of the car ahead. I’ll check it out,” He Heng said, hopping out. By the time he got there, the Benz had peeled out. In front of the Maybach, a girl was sprawled on the ground, her face pale. “You okay?” Si Tong had taken a nasty fall—her elbow and knee were screaming in pain. She couldn’t get up right away and just shook her head to say she was fine. He Heng helped her up. She looked fragile, pretty in a quiet way, wincing like she was trying to tough it out—kinda pitiful. Back at the Maybach, he filled Yu Hanshen in, adding, “She’s banged up pretty bad. Elbow’s scraped to hell. Poor kid.” He knew it was a long shot, but he kinda hoped his boss would take pity and at least give her a lift to a hospital. The overpass was packed with cars—leaving her there was risky. Even just getting her off the bridge would be something. But after a decade working for Yu Hanshen, He Heng knew the guy wasn’t exactly the warm-and-fuzzy type. Sure enough, Yu Hanshen just flicked his eyes up at him, didn’t say a word, and oozed indifference. He Heng sighed, climbed back in, and started the car. Si Tong checked her scrapes, hearing the engine behind her. She glanced back instinctively and stepped aside. As the Maybach rolled past, the back window was down. She locked eyes with a familiar, deep stare. “Stop the car,” Yu Hanshen said out of nowhere.